How do we know what we know? Where
does our knowledge come from-what are its sources? Many people think that sense
experience, which is one source of knowledge, accounts for much or all of our
knowledge. In actual fact, this is NOT so. There are four sources for our knowledge:

1. Memory: we know that many things
occurred in the past because we remember them happening. Memory does not generate
or create new beliefs-it puts us in touch with previous beliefs.

2. Sense perception: we know things
because we have experienced them through our senses-sight, hearing, smell, taste,
and touch-or a combination of these.

3. Introspection: roughly defined
as "looking inward," introspection is our knowledge about what is
going on in our minds or consciousness, our awareness that we are remembering,
sensing, etc., our awareness of what we are remembering, sensing, etc., our
feelings, etc. Introspection is not necessarily subjective, though it is private-there
is no way to verify or prove what someone else is thinking or feeling.

4. Reason: our ability to reason
provides us with a final source of knowledge. There are truths of reason (such
as logical and mathematical truths) that only reason can provide us. Reason
comes to know by defining terms, working out the analysis of these definitions,
and applying the rules of logic.

WORLDVIEW

Our worldview influences how we understand
and evaluate things. A worldview is a comprehensive way of looking at the world,
our way of unifying and relating the fragmentary activities and experiences
to the universe as a whole. It is a "conceptual scheme" or a lens
through which everything we encounter is filtered. It could be a purely personal
and unique sort of thing, but it does not have to be-group and communities share,
to some extent, a common worldview.

Worldviews are susceptible of evaluation-so
therefore they are things that can be better or worse, that can be and maybe
sometimes ought to be changed. In principle, any worldview can be rationally
criticized.

Well rounded worldviews involve personal
beliefs in at least five fundamental areas: God, reality, knowledge, morality,
and human nature. The fundamental issue and questions involved are

God: Does God exist? If so, what
does God expect of us?

Reality: What is ultimate nature
of reality-which things in life are most important? Is there free will, a
soul, an afterlife?

Knowledge: What, if anything,
can we know with certainty? Are faith and reason compatible? What things are
obstacles to human knowledge?

Morality: What is the Good-the
most important thing or goal in life? Are there any universal moral principles?
How do we know and determine moral right and wrong?

Human Nature; Are human beings
basically good and unselfish? What are basic human needs? Why are meaningful
human relationships difficult to establish?